May 5: Year One

Hi!

Great week this week.

Wednesday was Mission Leadership Council, so we flew to Edinburgh and had a great day there. It's always a spiritual feast!

After the council we began our exchange with the Assistants -- Elder Tinsley and I flew back to Belfast and worked in Bangor on Thursday.

Thursday was an interesting day! We received so much rejection! At one point we were street contacting in Bangor and a man we spoke to just started screaming and cursing at us, and then tried to beat Elder Tinsley with his cane. 

In the afternoon we taught Chris in Newtownards town centre and during the lesson a baptist preacher from Oklahoma (of all places) began verbally attacking us and completely interrupted our lesson; condemning us to hell.

At least we didn't have it as bad as Paul.

 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

- 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, 31

Despite opposition, Christ will triumph! I know that we teach His truth.

On Saturday I had the chance to go on exchange with Elder Rick Hanson from Seattle, Washington! He is a champion. I had a great time getting to know him and learning from him.

Yesterday we had a spiritually uplifting testimony meeting; this ward is great!

In Sunday School there was a nice principle that was shared:

"We're all boats; but our aim is not to get out of the water, it is to keep the water out of our boat."

This week was my mission year mark -- one year ago I got on a plane from Austin, Texas to Manchester, England. The time I've spent here seems short, but the experiences innumerable. I have been so blessed with opportunities to learn and I hope I will continue to find avenues to change. That is the purpose of this life, after all.

I love you all,

Elder Clement